ZZ Top

This sturdy American blues-rock trio from Texas consists of Billy Gibbons (guitar), Dusty Hill (bass), and Frank Beard (drums). They were formed in 1970 in and around Houston from rival bands the Moving Sidewalks (Gibbons) and American Blues (Hill and Beard). Their first two albums reflected the strong blues roots and Texas humor of the band. Their third album (Tres Hombres) gained them national attention with the hit "La Grange," a signature riff tune to this day, based on John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen." Their success continued unabated throughout the '70s, culminating with the year-and-a-half-long Worldwide Texas Tour.

Exhausted from the overwhelming workload, they took a three-year break, then switched labels and returned to form with Deguello and El Loco, both harbingers of what was to come. By their next album, Eliminator, and its worldwide smash follow-up, Afterburner, they had successfully harnessed the potential of synthesizers to their patented grungy blues groove, giving their material a more contemporary edge while retaining their patented Texas style. Now sporting long beards, golf hats, and boiler suits, they met the emerging video age head-on, reducing their "message" to simple iconography. Becoming even more popular in the long run, they moved with the times while simultaneously bucking every trend that crossed their path. As genuine roots musicians, they have few peers; Gibbons is one of America's finest blues guitarists working in the arena rock idiom -- both influenced by the originators of the form and British blues-rock guitarists like Peter Green -- while Hill and Beard provide the ultimate rhythm section support.

The only rock & roll group that's out there with its original members still aboard after three decades (an anniversary celebrated on 1999's XXX), ZZ Top play music that is always instantly recognizable, eminently powerful, profoundly soulful, and 100-percent American in derivation. They have continued to support the blues through various means, perhaps most visibly when they were given a piece of wood from Muddy Waters' shack in Clarksdale, MS. The group members had it made into a guitar, dubbed the "Muddywood," then sent it out on tour to raise money for the Delta Blues Museum. ZZ Top's support and link to the blues remains as rock solid as the music they play. A concert CD and DVD, Live from Texas, recorded in Dallas in 2007 and featuring a still vital band, were both released in 2008.

Mick Fleetwood Blues Band

Mick Fleetwood hits the road with THE MICK FLEETWOOD BLUES BAND feat. Rick Vito Mick Fleetwood, the iconic co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, is celebrating his blues heritage with his new band, The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band. The band features a tribute to the original Fleetwood Mac, the all-male blues band that started it all in 1967. Bringing together four stellar Blues and Rock musicians, Mick Fleetwood presents a band that is as current as it is nostalgic. At the front of the group, is Rick Vito, veteran Bluesman and former Fleetwood Mac vocalist and lead guitarist. Rick adds his personal touch while staying true to the styling of early Fleetwood Mac front man Peter Green. “A lot of guys can play the licks but Rick has the tone and that’s so important in real blues,” says Mick Fleetwood. With Fleetwood anchoring the band on percussion, the “other half” of the rhythm section is Lenny Castellanos on bass guitar. As Mick points out, “I’ve played with John McVie for 40 years, any bassist who plays with me has big shoes to fill.” – Lenny does a great job filling those shoes while complimenting Mick’s unique and revered drum style. Mark Johnstone ties everything together on the keys and backup vocals, infusing a vibrant energy to the group. The band is led, of course, by the legendary Mick Fleetwood, providing a backbone with his unmistakable power-house percussion and persona. The band pays tribute to the Mac's early days, when it drew heavily on American blues music and produced hits such as "Albatross," "Oh Well" and "Black Magic Woman" (which was covered by Santana). The band also offers some essential blues covers in every show. THE MICK FLEETWOOD BLUES BAND feat. Rick Vito "Celebrating 40 Years of the Original Fleetwood Mac - Featuring the Original Hits and New Blues" Including: “Oh Well” “Rattlesnake Shake” “Albatross” “Black Magic Woman” and many more